If the problem is panic, the best possible outcome is that Jane get
some control of her emotions and stay at the mall rather than running
home to hide from her fear. Obviously you can’t make such a decision for
her, but if you’re a friend, you may have influence, so you should know
what (in the opinion of most therapists) will help her most. There are
other possibilities, which we’ll examine in the chapters on people who
explode into fear, but the thing to remember now is to think about what
you want to happen, and to let this goal determine your actions.
Panic attacks are usually recurrent events that you can plan for in
advance. If Jane is a friend with a history of panic, it will help to devise
an attack plan before you go out. Unfortunately, your plan will not work
as well as you think it should. People like Jane will rarely be grateful to
you for encouraging them to face their fears. Even if you’ve discussed and
agreed upon a strategy beforehand, at the time of the attack, they will
often act as if your refusal to rescue them is the result of gross insensitiv-
ity rather than kindness.
KNOW YOUR GOAL. If you and Jane decide to stay at the mall and fight
the panic, much of what you must do will go against your instincts and
gut feelings. That is as it should be, however it might seem in the heat of
the moment. The idea is not to stop the attack, but to help Jane endure it.
The more Jane tries to make the panic stop, the longer it will last. There
are, however, some things you can do to minimize duration.
DON’T RUN AWAY, BUT DO KEEP MOVING. Ifyouwere frightened over
nothing, you might consider sitting down, taking a deep breath, and wait-
ing for the feeling to pass. This approach will not work for a panic attack.
Don’t tell Jane to sit down and relax. Remember that the problem is excess
adrenaline, which should be burned off rather than waited out. One of
the reasons Jane feels as if she’s going to faint is that she is hyperventilat-
ing. Her arousal system is causing her to take in enough oxygen to support
vigorous activity, regardless of how fast she’s actually moving. Too much
oxygen makes people dizzy, and can cause fainting, though it rarely does.
Your best bet is to increase Jane’s activity level to conform to the amount
of oxygen she’s inhaling. She will feel that she’s not getting enough air, but
she really needs less oxygen, not more.
The Blast Zone ❧ 13